Friday, March 29, 2024

President Hichilema denies Meeting Milingo Lungu over Immunity and sternly warns the DPP

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President Hakainde Hichilema has denied meeting former Konkola Copper Mines (KCM) liquidator Milingo Lungu recently to negotiate his exit from the mining giant.

According to a petition Mr. Lungu has filed before Constitutional Court against the State and the Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC), the alleged meeting was meant to discuss how Mr Lungu can vacate his office in exchange for immunity from criminal prosecution and the return of his seized assets as they were legitimately earned.

But during his Press Conference at State House on Monday, President Hichilema said he has neither power nor right to give someone immunity from prosecution.

The Republic President said he has not met Milingo recently except soon after assuming office when getting a report from the former KCM Provisional Liquidator on the operations of the firm.

“No one has the legal mandate to give immunity to anybody. I cannot do that, no one at the State House, no one at ACC can do that. No one at the DPP can give immunity to anyone that is illegal. There is no law that allows that to happen. So if you are a clique of thieves and you think you can escape by abusing office bearers of institutions you have got it wrong. If you are a brother to HH and you stole from the people of Zambia HH will not help you. Even though he is a servant as President. I will not help you so don’t even try. So why are we debating a non issue? Because this is a non issue,” Mr. Hichilema said.

Mr. Milingo has since requested the Lusaka High Court to compel the DEC to uphold the immunity from prosecution granted by the DPP on matters related to his role as Provisional Liquidator of Konkola Copper Mines.

The Head of State branded the debate on whether or not Milingo negotiated his exit from KCM with the Government as trivial.

“No presidential assistance can give impunity to anybody. No Minister of Justice, no Attorney General, no Solicitor General, no DPP. Anything done along that line is a nullity. I never met anybody in this State House in the name of Milling (Lungu) to discuss immunity. We are to deal with the immunity issue; there is no immunity for anywhere. And the social media ran it, one of the colleagues sent me a message that HH you gave immunity to Milingo and I said no. I have no capacity to do that but the nation fed on this thing and it became the most important thing instead of fighting to create more jobs for the people of Zambia,” President Hichilema said.

President Hichilema further expressed his fury over Director of Public Prosecutions Lillian Siyuni’s decision to oppose the re-arrest of Mr. Lungu.

“First, I commented on this issue in a lengthy area. No one has a legal right to offer immunity to anybody. Not the DPP, she has no legal right. She hasn’t got let’s not abuse judicial processes here. She has no right. I said it. I am re-enforcing the point. I don’t like kidding around myself. I don’t kid around. Sometimes study the leaders you have chosen. Go back and look at this fellow called HH. I don’t play around with myself. I may not make much noise because in this country noise is supposed to be equivalent to ability. What should happen is that the law is clear here. If the DPP has transgressed her rights, you complain to the Judicial Complaints Commission and I think people have done that already if not more will be doing that. That is the law and then from there it will take its course,” Mr. Hichilema said.

The Head of State further okayed the advocacy by UPND cadres that the DPP resigns over the Milingo controversy.

“What a member UPND says is what any Zambian can say. Remember those UPND cadres are citizens. There are people already warning the UPND ‘don’t touch the DPP’. You haven’t heard that? There are people saying that, so that talk is equalised by the UPND cadres if it is true. So there is talk positive, talk negative but our duty is not to listen to those who are saying don’t touch the DPP. No one is going to touch the DPP, only the law will touch the DPP, the law that you put in place,” Mr. Hichilema said.

President Hichilema added:”So we will not listen to those people whether it’s civil society or it is anyone or the relatives of the DPP. It does not matter what you feel. It does not matter what the UPND members feel, they are citizens of Zambia they have freedom of speech but what matters to us is to follow the law. Anyone aggrieved about the conduct of the DPP is to complain to the Judicial Complaints Commission. I am sure many Zambians are going to do that (complain to the Judicial Complaints Commission) because what we have seen in the last 30 days is unacceptable, is not correct.”

“The DPP has no power to arrest. The DPP has the power to prosecute. That is the separation of powers. How can she stop people from arresting others? DEC has a right to arrest so is ACC so are the police. She has no power over the police and the DPP cannot tell the DEC doesn’t arrest Milingo. The DEC can arrest Milingo if they feel Milingo has broken the law. They can arrest Milingo 20 times if he has broken the law 20 times and I encourage them to do so. The DPP has no right to say don’t arrest Milingo. Who is she? Where has she drawn her powers from? She wrote a letter for Mary Chirwa (DEC boss) not to arrest Milingo. That is wrong. Somebody must complain, I am encouraging somebody to complain to the Judicial Complaints Commission. That is not victimisation,” President Hichilema said.

42 COMMENTS

  1. The DPP is PF appointed, so she cannot survive in this government. Madam, I urge you to resign and allow Hakainde to appoint his own. It is very unfair for a president to publicly support cadres. I knew nothing tangible will come out of this press conference. Zambians you have seen what you chose over Edgar Chagwa Lungu.

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  2. I wonder if the JCC will be impartial in handling the DPP’s case. She has already been found guilty by the head of state who is the appointing authority for JCC.

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  3. #Milner@2 Do not change goal posts – you and KZ, Saulos, Henry Etal, said president HH had offered immunity to Milingo Lungu. Do you stand by your words? Those who peddle lies will be arrested from the presidential address through laws that exist.

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  4. Now we know the genesis of those calls by the cadres, they were sponsored. Now we know why they were issuing ultimatums to Mwami 1. I urge Lillian Siyuni not to resign until the matter is settled through the Court process. Stick to your guns lady. What will happen to the other people that have been mentioned? Bally shouldn’t think this battle will be easy just because his man is at JCC especially if that meeting really occurred. If I were the DPP I’d hire Mutembo Nchito as my lawyer to represent me. And why the JCC when precedents are there? All past DPPs were removed through tribunals. Why has it taken the Attorney General long to file his defense? I mean it should be easy to do that if it’s a non issue as it has been put. We have kept our fingers crossed

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  5. Edgar used to use cadres and now we’re doing the same…same team same players just changed the jerseys.

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  6. The JCC is not mandated to remove anyone. .They will sit here matters make recommendations then if need be, a tribunal will be set up to hear the person concerned the tribunal will guide on how best to conclude including removal or set aside the allegations…

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  7. We saw Faith Musonda granted immunity in exchange for her forfeiting those millions to the State.

    Are we going to see whoever negotiated and concluded that Faith Musonda deal disciplined, given as we now understand that no one has the legal mandate to grant immunity to anybody?

    If, as we now understand, the Faith Musonda deal was obviously illegal, are there any plans by the authorities to prosecute her for being found in possession of loot believed to be proceeds of crime?

    Just asking.

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  8. Selling KCM to clear businessmen who funded the party is the desired outcome. The path taken is irrelevant. Zambians look beyond Milingo case. Fighting corruption is not about dribbling but to be straightforward.

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  9. TELL US …..did your state house team meet Milingo? Is Milingo a mad man who can work up o e morning and create a story of the meeting that was not there>? Ba president sure!!!

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  10. #10 Our blind followers have deliberately forgotten the Faith Musonda debacle. Talk of shifting goal posts?

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  11. #8  Deja Vu 
    April 25, 2022 At 5:47 pm

    “So they met after all…”

    The president is very clear on why they met………..to deliver a report on KCM,

    As any responsible manager would want to see a report on an important economic asset…….

    not anything about immunity………

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  12. PF and their caders are a weird species…………

    Their leaders are out there peddling lies and tribal attacks while……….

    Their supporters and caders are hearing opposite to what is being said in black and white ……….

    That’s why they messed up the country big time………

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  13. #9 Deja Vu, #10  His Master’s Voice 

    Faith musonda is still pending……….

    As a material witness ,……….

    She did not work in GRZ , she was only used to stash stolen loot……..

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  14. @Spaka nothing you have said makes sense. But I respect your opinion. As for me the truth is hanging somewhere and only when Milingo starts his case will we know. Why can’t we wait for that day. If Milingo is a mad man we shall know of that day.

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  15. Anyone can address a nation and lie through his teeth. Hh has been caught in day light. Hypocrites. Don’t try to be perfect. We know how hard it is to govern. You can’t always make decisions to please everyone. When you try to be too perfect this what happens. Reducing the office of president to this is embarrassing.

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  16. I support HH and campaigned for him. But he lied through his teeth today, because there was a deal done with Milingo instructed by State House. He said himself that we are trying to move forward with KCM and Mopani but Milingo was standing in the way. I believe the person who was there – who works in the intelligence system who told me that the President did grant that immunity. What they are doing to the DPP is simply gross and inhuman. You can tell that HH has issues as he kept 35% of the speech on the DPP. He kept going back to the DPP even during the media questions that had nothing to do with the DPP. Milingo’s lawyer ( Sakwiba Sikota) is one of the best lawyers in the country. There is no way he would announce that we have the evidence, risking his life.

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  17. 1. I give credit to HH for terminating all those payments to road construction contracts that were just a bogus and crookedness by some bandits in PF. But we know these will go to his mates. We know who has been lined up to do these feeder road projects. Lusaka is a very small place people talk and boast carelessly.

    2. HH got asked about the audio recording of Joseph Akafumba/Levy Ngoma. He completely failed to answer the question. He went around talking about the cyber laws of the land. And diverted into talking about Nakachinda. It was pathetic.!!!

    3. Frank Mutubila told HH that in his 52 years in the journalism industry – this was the first time it has become too hard to get access to government ministers. Frank asked HH to send directives to his ministers to be reachable.? HH…

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  18. 4. HH is surely very frustrated for failing to have gotten rid of DPP. Everyone has denied but let us see what happens in court. This will be very embarrassing for the government. HH said Milingo was standing in the way – when he got asked about what the GRZ was doing about the mining industry in the Copperbelt.

    5. HH has just licenced his UPND Cadres to lynch the DPP, he should be protecting her from mob justice. This after he got asked about UPND Cadres wanting her to resign.

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  19. 6. HH has protected his Foreign Minister. He said – I {HH} personally called the minister and asked him – What were you doing there and carrying in the envelope? The minister said to me that – it was a private meeting because I am building a house in that area. I was carrying a calendar. So, I said to the minister – then just carry on, the case is over. HH should have instructed an investigation by asking the Chinese what happed. HH just shielded a pandora’s box.

    7. HH says the Kwacha has destabilised /gained under UPND. That’s not true.

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  20. 8. HH says the last cabinet was comprised of people from two regions. Paradoxically! That’s a total lie. Lungu tried to appoint people from Southern Province in UPND and HH dared his MPs not to work with Lungu. And those who accepted to work with Lungu were isolated and de-campaigned.

    9. HH completely failed to elaborate on the price of Petrol. He was not prepared just like his Energy Minister who failed to state the case to Zambians. HH failed to close the gap on the issue. It was embarrassing to watch him struggle on the issue !!!

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  21. 10. HH said we know the clique of thieves working with UPND guys in government. Yet his government is failing to arrest these cliques who they know very well to be breaking doing corruption. At the same time, his VP said UPND /GRZ was willing to grant immunity to those who will bring back what they stole. This is a total failure and mixed messaging on the corruption fight.

    Else there was too much bragging, arrogance from one hand while trying to maintain dissertation on the other hand. But at least he showed up, unlike Lungu who avoided press conference at all cost.

  22. I think milingo lungu lied about what his meeting with the president was about………..

    His lies convinced the DPP to grant him an illigal immunity………

    The DPP was used of working with the previous corrupt lungu regime who expected immunity and nollies after any meeting with lungu and his gang……….

    It is true that a meeting with edgar lungu and his gang by any accused was an unspoken signal to issue immunity or nollie…………

    This is what the DPP was used to………..

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  23. H² is insincere. He has been insincere through and through. Unfortunately he can’t arrest himself. So then he accuses Rapha of lying and that he should face the law.
    This guy cannot be trusted. We are now learning the hard way of having put inexperience from bwengwa to state house. He duped milingo and had his way. All this guy wants is to sell KCM and MCM.
    What a lord of cheap blanks.

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  24. Independent observer

    2……who would waisted time destabilising HK and his party ??? For what reason , the man is a threat to no one. Not worth waisting time on. The president was right not to dwell on this…..

    3…..not a burning issue

    4…..let us await the court cases

    5…..the president was saying the UPND caders are also citizens and have the right to petition the DPP , like any other citizen, and he gives them his blessings

    6…….there is no evidence of corruption here, the calender and pen , he should not have accepted. If there was corruption, do you think the Chinese would admit ??
    The president has asked anyone with information to come forward..

    7…….the kwacha is now stable around 16 to 17 to the dollar. Just before elections, there was a fake…

  25. Independent observer

    7…….the kwacha is now stable around 16 to 17 to the dollar. Just before elections, there was a fake PF intervention after which the dollar rose straight after elections.

    8…….for HH and UPND to allow his ministers to work under lungu would have been tacit approval of the rabbit tribalism exhibited by CK , on air and the dismissal of people from certain regions from GRZ and the appointment to key institutions of people from only 2 regions.

    9……..ukrain Russia war. Every one know this. No need to waste time on this.

    10…….the fight against corruption is a long complicated one. You will see arrests in 2025/6……….

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  26. #28  This Thorn in the Flesh 
    April 25, 2022 At 8:16 pm

    “H² is insincere. He has been insincere through and through. Unfortunately he can’t arrest himself. So then he accuses Rapha of lying and that he should face the law….”

    But let Rapha have his day in court to provide evidence of HH meeting judges at his residence, if at all………..

    What is wrong with that ??? We all want to see that evidence…..

    As the president said…..freedom of expression does not mean freedom to tell blatant lies and false hoods…….

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  27. This is the problem with Zambians. You sit here misinterpreting what the President said. He clearly said no one has power to grant immunity, not even himself. He also said through the separation of powers, DPP does not arrest but prosecute someone who has been arrested by another institution. What is wrong with you bloggers? yes most of you are dunderheads’ because you are recreating a straightforward matter. If you do not comprehend, keep quiet.

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  28. @ 4 and 7, tribunals for hearing removal of DPP were removed by the 2016 constitutional amendment. As it stands, JCC is the right way to go.
    For anyone objective enough, you should realize the President is insincere about not offering Milingo immunity (albeit immunity being illegal).
    I refuse to believe the DPP acted on her own volition. There is no way she could have done so, and even have the courage to chide DEC over an arrest.

  29. INDEPENDENT OBSERVER. You are a voice of wisdom. Don’t bother about # SPAKA. He is a frustrated angry baboon stuck in UK and scared to go to Zambia. He is claiming UK government benefits that’s why he blogs 24/7.

  30. INDEPENDENT OBSERVER. You are a voice of wisdom. Don’t bother about # SPAKA. He is a frustrated angry baboon stuck in UK and scared to go to Zambia. He is claiming UK government benefits that’s why he blogs 24/7.

  31. 8 hours after the press conference there was no proper journalist who summarised what the president had said on News pages on social media or Newspaper websites …surely what has happened to the media fraternity in Zambia? Its only novices posting poorly written posts on their pages…media society needs to pull up their socks.

  32. Me am just watching, only to find out that Lusaka Times if infiltrated with PF Cadres. I knew there were PF cadres on this site but not to this magnitude. You foools were singing 2 days ago that HH and statehouse Gave Milingo immunity, the President has left you naked with yours lies and you are all trying hard to find other excuses. TO hell with you all. Bunch of fooools

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  33. Power is sweet. The UPND is aware that this matter can cost them the next elections The DPP is benefiting double here. She might have been offered a huge brown envelop by UPND and in exchange she will be dismissed but should remain quiet. And the game will be over. The poor bloggers will continue speculating for ever and ever.

  34. #25 Independent Observer. HH has no option but to appoint ministers from outside his domain. He’s got so many MPs from outside and common sense is that he’s got no way out but to appoint them. His supporters forget that he did everything to ensure nobody from Southern Province served in the PF Government. It’s not a secret that public buildings never displayed portraits of the former president in southern Province. You know this ploy will soon or later boomrang. The only appointment HH can safely boast of is that of Felix Mutati because he’s not an elected MP.

  35. Mr. JOHN SANGWA (SC) Please shed some light on this one. When an ACCUSED PERSON WHO HAS COMMITTED AN OFFENCE BECOMES OR TURN INTO A STATE WITNESS IN A CASE
    HIS HE IS NOT GRANTED IMMUNITY FROM PROSECUTION BY SOME ONE? HOW CAN THEN THE POWERS BE SAY NO ONE HAS POWERS TO GRANT
    IMMUNITY TO SOME ONE FROM PROSECUTION.
    PLEASE BA SANGWA HELP US ON THIS ONE

  36. Let the DPP say what she knows so that the nation knows, this a puzzle the nation must know the truth.Must something must have happened so the nation must know.Shamwana,Rajah Mathani etc was given immunity here in zambia.

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